COPS ARREST 4 SOLDIERS FOR GUN BAN VIOLATION IN PAMPANGA

BY KEVIN GALANG

OPERATIVES of the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) on Tuesday arrested four soldiers for violation of the Comelec gun ban in San Simon, Pampanga.

The names of the troopers were temporarily withheld pending investigation.

In a report to Police Regional Office 3 director Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, Pampanga police director Col. Jay Dimaandal said a resident of San Agustin  informed them of a suspicious vehicle tailing his car between San Simon and Valenzuela City for the past five days. 

The complainant told police that the same vehicle was also sighted near Global Aseana Business Park 1 in Bgy. San Isidro, San Simon.

Responding policemen sighted the vehicle at a gasoline station. As they approached and introduced themselves, one of the suspects pulled out a gun while attempting to flee.

Police were forced to shoot the vehicle’s tire to prevent escape.

However,  the suspects briefly evaded arrest but were eventually intercepted and captured on Quezon Road in Bgy. San Isidro.

One of the suspects sustained a gunshot wound in the neck and was brought to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Confiscated from the arrested soldiers were one  .9mm pistol with magazine and two rounds of ammunition, a cal..45 pistol with magazine and seven rounds of ammunition, a  silver Toyota Innova, four  wallets, four two-way radios, a Nikon video camera, a power bank, four driver’s licenses, four AFP IDs, two Glock 17 magazines with two rounds of ammunition, and three cal..45 magazines with 22 rounds of ammunition.

Fajardo lauded the swift and decisive action of the San Simon police and reaffirmed the PNP’s zero-tolerance stance against violations of the election-related gun ban.

“The gun ban is in full force and applies to everyone—regardless of position, rank, or affiliation. Uniformed personnel are not exempt. We will not allow anyone to compromise public safety, especially during the election period,” Fajardo said.

The Central Luzon top cop said all arrested suspects will be charged  with violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, in connection with the nationwide gun ban.